Catamaran.



M. PHILLIPS, 1 CATAMARAN. APILIOalTION FILED SEIT. 25, 1908 BENBWBD MAB.9, 1910.

791,575 v Patented Beaz?, 191m.

M. PHILLIPS.

` CATAMARAN. AIPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1908. BENEWED MAIL 9, 1910.9,557, Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MARCUS PHILLIPS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CATAMARAN.

massa Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2*?, 1910.

Application filed September 25, 1908, Serial No. 454,698. Renewed March9, 1910. Serial No. 548,260.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, MARCUS PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Catamarans, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide improved means forconnecting together, side by side, two boat hulls or canoes or otherfloating vessels for operating as a unitary floating structure, commonlycalled a catamaran.

It consists of the features of construction shown and described asindicated in the claims.

In the drawings z-Figure l is a plan view of two boat hulls andconnecting devices embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a section at theline 2 2 on Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section at the line 3-3on Fig. l. Fig. 4C is a longitudinal vertical section at the line 4 4 onFig. l. Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section of one hull showing amodified form of the coupling device. Fig. 6 is a detail transversesection of proximate portions of two connected boat hulls which areclosely coupled by a form of coupling device modiiied for such closecoupling. Fig. 7 is a partly sectional plan view of a platform mountedon the coupling devices when the hulls are sufficiently separated toadmit such platform, section being made in horizontal plane-midway inthe thickness of the platform to expose the means forA binding theelements of the platform together flexibly.

ln the floating structures of the catamaran type, their advantage ofstability as against the danger of upsetting is in part offset, as iswell understood, by their liability to dive at one corner underconditions which would tend to make a single hull of ordinary formcapsize. This tendency to dive is in large part at least due to thehorizontal rigidity of the structure, which cannot accommodate itself atdifferent parts to the variations of the swell or undulations of thewater. I design by the present invention to overcome this defect byconnecting the two hulls in such manner that the two members of thecatamaran structure shall be capable of rocking relatively to a certainextent, such rocking being resisted by springs which are employed forthe connection with the other member. For this purpose, the two boathulls, A, A, are connected together at two points in their length byspring couplings, B, which are preferably arranged in pairs, two at eachplace of connection between the two hulls. These coupling springs aremade of steel rod, each coiled to form two coils, B1, B1, being wound inopposite directions and preferably spaced from each other along theintegral rod of which they are formed a distance which may be variedaccording to the circumstances, but which, in the principal formillustrated, is somewhat less than the width of each hull. The ends ofthe steel rod forming the spring coupling serve as fastening bolts,being extended through or into secure engagement with the sides of thetwo hulls and secured by nuts on the inner ends. Two of these springsmounted back to bada-that is, with their connecting bar portions, B2,adjacent to each other,-cone stitute the coupling at each of the twopoints at which the hulls are connected. Longitudinal shafts, C, C, areextended through the coils of both couplings adjacent to the hullsrespectively, and prevent torsional ac tion which might tend to wrencheither coupling from the hull if it were not thus connected with theother coupling remote from it along the hull. A flexible platform, D,extends from coupling to coupling, being lodged above the same andsecured to the shafts, C, by staple bolts, E. This platform may serve tocarry a motor or propelling device,'or any load, and at all times servesas a bridge for connecting the two hulls to make easy and safe passagefrom one to the other. The spring coils, B1, of the spring couplings areof stiffness proportioned to the size of the two hulls, sufficient toresist flexure up to any desired amount according to the service towhich the boat is to be put and according to the weight of the hulls.They should be at least sti enough so that either' hull being heldlixedly at normal or horizontal position, the other being unsupportedwill not sag or swing materially away from the horizontal position. Somedeparture, however, from this degree of stiffness will not materiallyaffect the operation of the device for its purpose, and considerabledeparture from this rule of stiffness maybe permitted without defeatingthe operation of the device for its purpose.

Since this invention will generally be applied to boat hulls of lightconstruction, it is important to provide means for anchoring' the springcouplings to the hulls in such manner as not only to make the anchoragesecure but to avoid injury to the hulls from the strain which may be putupon the anchorage. I have illustrated a mode of anchoring thesecouplings to a sheet metal boat hull, which,"v of itself, would notafford any adequate hold for the couplings. For such a purpose l providea fitting, F, of metal plate, such as boiler iron, folded at one end toform an open quadrilateral loop or short tube, F1, one side of which maybear directly against the outer surface of the customary thin gunwale orupper marginal side rail, L, of the boat, the inwardly deflected end ofthe fitting which forms the lower side, F 2, of the quadrilateral loopbeing fitted to the quarter round or other shaped molding, G, which isusually present at the other side of the gunwale. From the outer side ofthe quadrilateral loop, the strip of metal extends down along the outerstiffening molding, H, of the boat and on below the same against theside of the hull, A, to which it is riveted below the decking, J, abolt, K, being provided, taking through the molding, H, and the gunwaleboard, L. The end of the spring coupling takes through both verticalsides of the quadrilateral loop, F1, and through the gunwale board, L,which is reinforced at this point by an angle iron, M, whose verticalflange is also penetrated by the threaded end of the coupling so thatthe nut, N, may be tightened up against such reinforcing angle iron,which also affords bearing for the head of the bolt, K, and whosehorizontal flange is bolted to the decking. The nut, N, is designed tobe tightened up to draw the coil, B1, snugly against the outer side ofthe fitting, F. A sufficiently broad or deep anchorage is thus obtainedfor the end of the coupling in the boat hull. lVhen employing thisdevice for lighter boats lackinO in suflicient rigidity to endure thestrain of an anchorage of the couplings wholly to one side, the end ofthe coupling rod may be extended, as shown at Fig. 5, entirely acrossthe boat hull, penetrating it at both sides, a spacing board, or bar ordecking, P, being interposed between the two sides, and an embossedwasher, Q, covering the hardwood fender, Q1, is riveted on the outersurface of the hull, and the clamping nut, N, being applied on the endand screwed up against the embossed washer at the outer side, draws thecoil up against the embossed washer at the inner side, as seen in Fig.5.

For many purposes, it may not be deemed desirable to space the two hullsany farther apart than necessary for interposing the spring' couplings,and in such case, or for small boats not requiring, to obtain thedesired stability, any wider spread will thus be afforded, couplingssuch as shown in Fig. G may be employed, having a single spring coil,B1, intermediate the ends, which extend horizontally in oppositedirections and engage the proximate sides of the two hulls, beingsecured as already described with respect to the more extended coupling.

The operation of the structure first above described, illustrated inFigs. l and 2, is that in case of any overloading at the outer side ofeither hull which would tend to capsize it if it were alone, the entirestructure is subject to whatever deflection from the horizontal iscaused, the action being substantially that of pivoting about thelongitudinal axis of the overloaded hull, which tends to lift the otherhull out of the water. The two hulls are deflected out of their normalrelation,-that is, with their decks parallel,-by the pivotal actionwhich occurs at the axes of the shafts, C, @,-that is, of the alinedcoils at the two sides respectively,-such deflection, however, to anysufficient extent to cause the boat to take water, requiring a load atthe outer side of the overloaded hull amounting to a large fraction ofthe boats displacement or carrying capacity, will be practicallyimpossible. When the structure is exposed to severe undulations of thewater, or has from any cause been severely agitated so that if the twohulls were rigidly joined together it would tend to dive at one corner,such tendency would result from an upward pressure upon one hull towardone end in excess of the water resistance on the other hull at the otherend, being equivalent in effect, therefore, to an overloading of onehull at the end of which the diving tendency would be manifest, andunder such conditions the two hulls will tend to fold at the two pivotalpoints-the axes of the shafts, and also to be deflected in oppositedirections longitudinally from .their normal position at which theircorresponding longitudinal central lines are paralleh-that is, so thatone prow will be depressed and the other elevated a little. Thisrelative action takes place substantially about a transverse axis midwaybetween the fore-and-aft couplings, and is permitted by the torsion ofthe connecting bars, B2, of the spring' couplings, supplemented by thelongitudinal flexibility of the coils within the range of play permittedby the loose fit of the shaft, C, within them. The capacity of the twoboats to thus change their relative position, yielding to the stress ofthe waves operating upon them each somewhat differently at each instant,operates to defeat the tendency to dive without materially diminishingthe stability against capsizing which characterizes the ordinarycatamaran. Y y

The platform, D, obviously should be flexible enough to permit therelative rocking of the two hulls both longitudinally and transversely,and for that purpose, it is preferably composed of strips, d, CZ, boundtogether by wire cable, (Z1, which is laced back and forth several timesin the length of the platform through holes bored in the strips atproper positions for that purpose, the outer strips, cl2, of the lacedportion being grooved on their outer surface to accommodate the cablewhere it extends from one row of holes to the next. Outside the lacedportion of the platform, there is provided at each side a strip, D1,which is bolted fast to the first of the laced strips, and affords meansof fastening the staple bolts, or other devices which may be substitutedfor them, which secure the platform to the couplings.

The distance from the ends of the hulls at which the spring couplingsare located is of considerable importance, because it affords leveragefor the action of the waves on the ends of the hulls favorable to thelongitudinal rocking of the hulls in opposite directions which operateto defeat the tendency to dive. In practice, I have found a veryeffective position for these couplings to be one-fourth to one-third ofthe hull-length back from the ends of the hulls. It is also importantthat the distances of the two couplings from the respective ends of thehulls should be substantially equal; at least, if the hulls aresimilarly shaped at both ends.

I claim 1. A catamaran comprisingtwo boat hulls and elastically flexiblecouplings joining them at two points in the length of the hulls, eachcoupling comprising` a spring coil closely adjacent to each of theconnected1 hulls and adapted to operate as a spring hinge between thetwo hulls.

2. A catamaran comprising two boat hulls ranged side by side; springcouplings connecting them at two points in their length, each springcoupling consisting of rod coiled into two helical. springs near theends of the rod and spaced from each other, the ends being anchored tothe sides of the hulls respectively.

3. A catamaran comprising two boat hulls ranged side by side;elastically flexible couplings connecting them at two points in theirlength, and a flexible platform mounted on the couplings.

4. A catamaran comprising two boat hulls ranged side by side; flexiblecouplings connecting them at two points in their length; a platformmounted on the couplings consisting of strips and flexible lacingextended back and forth across the strips for binding them together.

5. In a catamaran which comprises two boat hulls ranged side by side andflexible couplings connecting them, an anchorage for the couplingsconsisting of a fitting of metal folded to form a quadrilateral loop,and mounted on the hull with one side of said loop abutting against theouter surface, the coupling comprising a stem or stud which penetratessaid side of the quadrilateral loop and the opposite side thereof.

6. ln a catamaran, au anchorage for a coupling connecting the two hullmembers, consisting of a fitting form of metal folded into aquadrilateral loop mounted with one side of such loop bearing againstthe outer surface of the hull, in combination with a coupling whichcomprises a spring coiled wire rod, one end of which extendshorizontally to form an anchoring stud or stem, such stud or stem beingextended through two opposite sides of the loop, and a nut on the end ofthe stem binding the spiral coil against the outer' side of said loop.

7. In a catamaran, in combination with the two boat hulls, couplingsconnecting them at two points in their length, each coupling comprisingtwo similar elements, each consisting of a spring metal rod coiled toform helical springs of opposite pitch toward the opposite ends, havingthe ends of the rod extended beyond such helices for anchorage to theboat hulls respectively, the two elements of said pair being mountedwith the portions of the rods between the two helices adjacent and thehelices at each end extending oppositely from the rods respectively forspreading the ends of the rods which are to be anchored in the hulls.

8. A catamaran comprising, in combina-- tion with two boat hulls, springcouplings connecting them at two points in their length, each suchspring coupling comprising a spring metal rod coiled to form helices ofopposite pitch toward the opposite ends, the ends of the rod beingextended from the helices outward for anchorage to the boat hullsrespectively, and a pivot shaft adjacent to each hull extended throughthe helices proximate thereto.

9. A catamaran comprising two boat hulls; elastically iiexible couplingsjoining them at two points in the length of the hulls, each couplingcomprising a spring coil closely adjacent to each of the connected hullsand adapted to operate as spring hinges between the two hulls, andpivotal shafts extended through the two coils adjacent to each boat.

l0. A catamaran comprising two boat hulls; elastically flexiblecouplings joining them at two points in the length of the hulls, eachcoupling comprising a spring coil closely adjacent to each of theconnected hulls and adapt-ed to operate as spring hinges between the twohulls; pivotal shafts extended through the two coils adjacent to eachboat, and a fiexible platform secured to said shafts.

l1. A water craft comprising two boat hulls laterally separated andmeans for transversely connecting them, said means being elasticallyflexible at two laterally separated fore-and-aft lines outside theproximate sides of the hulls and proximate to them respectively.

12. A water craft comprising two hulls laterally separated and means fortransversely connecting them at two ore-and-attv pivotal lines betweenthe hulls and proXimate to them respectively.

13. A water craft comprising` two hulls laterally separated and meansfor transversely connecting them at two fore-and-aft pivotal linesbetween the hulls and proximate to them respectively; pivotal barscarried by the hull at such pivotal lines and a platform carried by suchbars.

14. A water craft comprising two hulls laterally separated and means fortrans versely connecting them, said means being elastically flexible attwo fore-andati; pivotal lines between the hulls and proximate to themrespectively.

15. A water craft comprising two boat hulls laterally separated andmeans for transversely connecting them, said means being` elasticallyflexible at two fore-and-aft pivotal lines between the hulls andproximate to them respectively; pivotal bars carried by the hulls atsuch pivotal lines and a platform carried by such bars.

16. A water craft comprising` two hulls laterally separated; means fortransversely connecting them consisting of a plurality of couplingsremotely situated from each other along the length of the hulls, andbeing each at two laterally separated points elastic for lverticaltlexure, and also for torsion about the axis transverse to the hulls.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence oftwo witnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 24th day of September, 1908.

MARCUS PHILLIPS. In the presence of- JULIA S. ABBOTT, M. GERTRUDE ADY.

